Iran to soon unveil mechanism on managing traffic in Hormuz Strait along designated route

China

Iran to soon unveil mechanism on managing traffic in Hormuz Strait along designated route

2026-05-17 09:11 Last Updated At：11:08

Iran will soon unveil a "professional mechanism" on managing the traffic in the Strait of Hormuz along a designated route, a senior Iranian lawmaker said Saturday, without specifying the exact timing of the disclosure.

Ebrahim Azizi, chairman of the Iranian parliament's national security and foreign policy committee, wrote on social media platform X that the route will "remain closed" to the operators of Project Freedom, a U.S. military operation aimed at guiding commercial vessels out of the strait.

"In this process, only commercial vessels and parties cooperating with Iran will benefit from it," he said, adding that Iran will collect the "necessary fees" for "the specialized services provided under this mechanism."

The United States and Israel launched joint military strikes against Tehran and other Iranian cities on Feb. 28, killing Iran's then Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, senior Iranian officials and civilians. Iran responded with missile and drone attacks against Israel and U.S. interests in the region and tightened control over the Strait of Hormuz.

A ceasefire between the United States and Iran took effect on April 8, which was followed by talks between Iranian and U.S. delegations in Pakistan's Islamabad on April 11 and 12 that ended without an agreement. Later, the United States imposed its own blockade on the strait.

Since the ceasefire, U.S. and Iranian forces have engaged in multiple direct exchanges of fire in and around the strait.

On Monday, U.S. President Donald Trump told Fox News that he was considering restarting Project Freedom with an expanded scope, yet no final decision had been made.

Canadian in isolation tests presumptive positive for hantavirus

A Canadian cruise passenger currently in isolation has tested presumptive positive for hantavirus, health authorities in Canada's British Columbia province announced Saturday.

Bonnie Henry, a provincial health officer, said the patient began developing mild symptoms, including fever and headache, two days ago and was taken to a local hospital. The presumptive positive result came back on Friday and the person is currently being treated in isolation as a positive patient.

The result still awaits final confirmation from a microbiology laboratory over the weekend, said Henry.

The patient is among 10 Canadians nationwide currently placed in isolation due to the cruise ship outbreak. Of the total, four are undergoing a 21-day monitored isolation in British Columbia, while the remaining six are isolated in Alberta, Ontario and Quebec. The presumptive positive case is one of the four isolated in British Columbia, while the partner has tested negative.

Henry emphasized that none of the individuals in isolation had come into contact with the public during their transfer, and all involved health-care workers wore full personal protective equipment. She reassured the public that the virus does not have "pandemic potential" and there is no need for widespread panic.

The outbreak occurred aboard the cruise ship MV Hondius and has caused three deaths so far. The incubation period for hantavirus generally ranges from one to eight weeks.